Verbena plant named &#39;raspena&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Verbena  plant particularly distinguished by its red purple flower with a dark purple centre, early flowering, and a habit that is upright and later spreading.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Verbena×hybrida

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Raspena’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new distinct cultivar of Verbena,botanically known as Verbena×hybrida.

The new cultivar is originated from the self-pollination of ‘D1472-2’ asfemale parent and as the male or pollen parent. ‘D1472-2’ is a purpleflowering Verbena. ‘D1472-2’ is not commercially available and is notknown by any synonyms. ‘D1472-2’ has not been patented.

As a result of this self-pollination the present cultivar was created in2003 in Enkhuizen, Netherlands and has been repeatedly asexuallyreproduced by cuttings in Enkhuizen, Netherlands and Sarrians, Franceover a two year period. The new variety is stable and reproduces true totype in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

This new Verbena plant is an annual in most climatical zones in the US,only in zones 9 and 10 it is a perennial plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

This new Verbena plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographicdrawing which shows blooms, buds and foliage of the plant in full color,the color shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of this new Verbena. The data that define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inEnkhuizen, Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 14 week oldplants, blossomed under natural light in a greenhouse, and grown in a10.5 cm container. Color readings were taken in the greenhouse underambient light.

Color references are primarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London. TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEWCULTIVAR ‘RASPENA,’ ITS PARENT, AND THE MOST RESEMBLING VARIETY‘Raspena’ ‘D1472-2’ ‘Lanai Royal Purple’ Flower color Red-purple PurpleViolet purple Earliness Early Early Mid early Seed set No SparsePlentiful

The commercial name of the most resembling variety is ‘Lanai RoyalPurple.’ This variety has protected name “Lan Roy Pur’ and is patentedas U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,117.

-   The plant:    -   -   Classification — Botanical.—Verbena×hybrida.        -   Parentage — Female and male parent.—A seedling named            ‘D1472-2’ is one of our seedlings from our D-generation of            plants.        -   Growth habit.—Upright, decumbent.        -   Plant height.—15-26 cm.        -   Spreading area of plant.—40-50 cm.        -   Branching character.—Freely branching and lateral branching            at every node.        -   Number of branches per plant.—28-34.        -   Blooming period.—From March until November.-   The stem:    -   -   Diameter.—2 mm.        -   Length.—14-24 cm.        -   Shape.—Tetragonal.        -   Anthocyanin pigmentation.—Absent.        -   Color of the stem.—137C.        -   Length of internode.—24 mm.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Pubescence.—Pubescent.        -   Length lateral branches.—24 cm.-   The foliage:    -   -   Phyllotaxis.—Opposite.        -   Shape of blade.—Lanceolate.        -   Texture.—Upper side: Smooth Lower side: Smooth.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Leaf margin.—Crenate.        -   Leaf base.—Obtuse.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Length.—18-30 mm.        -   Width.—14-22 mm.        -   Depth of incision.—8-10 mm.        -   Number of incisions.—2-6 per leaf.        -   Color.—Upper side: 143B Lower side: 143C.        -   Pubescence.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Length of petiole.—2 mm.        -   Petiole surface structure.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Petiole diameter.—1 mm.        -   Petiole coloration.—143B, both surfaces.-   The bud:    -   -   Peduncle length.—38-54 mm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—2 mm.        -   Peduncle color.—143C.        -   Budsize.—Diameter: 2 mm Length: 4-8 mm.        -   Budshape.—Elongated and ovate.        -   Budcolour.—137C.        -   Sepals.—Color (upper side): 143B Color (lower side): 143C            Form: Upright Number: 5, fused Length: 7-10 mm. Width: 2 mm            Shape: Elongated Apex: Emarginate Base: Fused Margin:            Entire.-   The flower:    -   -   Flower diameter.—14-20 mm.        -   Flower height.—14-20 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—12-18 mm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—3 mm.        -   Flower throat color.—156A.        -   Inflorescence.—Corymb.        -   Flower-form.—Single, salverform; sessile on terminal            corymbs.        -   Petal color.—Upper side: 67A, more red, to 64A in the centre            Lower side: 67C.        -   Overlapping of petals.—Separate, to almost overlapping.        -   No. of petals.—Gamopetalous, 5 lobed.        -   Petal apex.—Obcordate.        -   Petal base.—Fused.        -   Petal margin.—Entire.        -   Petal surface texture.—Smooth.        -   Size of the petal.—Length: 7-9 mm Width: 6-8 mm.        -   Inflorescence.—Length: 18-24 mm Diameter: 24-32 mm.        -   Calyx length.—8-10 mm.        -   Calyx diameter.—3-4 mm.        -   Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx.—limb: Absent.        -   Color of the calyx.—143B.        -   No. of flowers per inflorescence.—20-30.        -   Fragrance.—No fragrance.        -   Bloom time of one inflorescence.—New florets continue to            open in one corymb over a period of 14 days.        -   Lastingness of one flower.—2-4 days.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Stamens quantity: 4 Anther shape: Ovoid Anther            length: 1 mm Anther color: 144C Pollen amount: No pollen.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistils quantity: 1 Pistil length: 1-1.5 cm            Stigma shape: Bi-lobed Stigma color: 144C Style length: 1.9            cm Style color: 144C Ovary color: 144C.-   The fruit and the seed: No fruit development or seed set has been    observed to date.-   Roots:    -   -   Type of roots.—Fibrous, color 155B. Roots start to grow on            every part of the stem that contacts the soil, so not only            at the nodes.-   Physiological and ecological characteristics:    -   -   Disease/pest resistance.—Plants of the new Verbena have been            noted to be resistant to especially powdery mildew.        -   Temperature tolerance.—Plants of the new Verbena have been            observed to tolerate temperatures from 0-35 degrees C.

1. A new and distinct variety of Verbena plant, substantially as hereinillustrated and described.